Norfolk Tides even series at Durham with 6-3 win

The Norfolk Tides (73-72) defeated the Durham Bulls (81-64), 6-3, Friday at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. The win ties the series up at 2-2 and Norfolk has won 19 of their last 26 games.

Durham scored three runs in the third inning, with help from back-to-back home runs by Ruben Cardenas and Vidal Brujan. Those would be the only runs Tides starter Chris Vallimont allowed, where he ended up lasting 6.2 innings and gave up five hits and two walks while striking out seven.

Norfolk tied the game in the top of the sixth, which included two RBI singles by Jordan Westburg and Tyler Nevin. Westburg then hit the go-ahead RBI in the seventh to make it 4-3. The Tides’ final two runs came in the eighth when Colton Cowser led the inning off with a home run and was later followed by Cadyn Grenier capping the score at 6-3 with an RBI double.

Nick Vespi recorded his eighth save of the season to seal the win. Game five of the series set for tomorrow night with first pitch at 6:35 p.m. The Tides will throw LHP Bruce Zimmermann (5-2, 3.71), while Durham has not announced a starter.